"GMC" 2003 Obituary

GMC o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-10-14 published
The 'godfather' of Ottawa's retail auto industry
After more than three decades of hard work, he went on to become
the first full-time executive director of the Ottawa New Car
Dealers Association
By Randy RAY,
Special to The Globe and Mail Tuesday, October
14, 2003 - Page R7
Ottawa -- During a career in the auto industry that spanned more
than 50 years, Don
MANN was tagged with his share of complimentary
nicknames. As a Datsun dealer in Ottawa in the 1960s, 70s and
80s, he was known as "Don Mann, your Datsun Mann," a phrase used
in his dealership's advertising.
Later, as executive director of the Ottawa New Car Dealers Association,
he was often referred to as the "godfather" of the city's retail
auto industry and an "ambassador" for Ottawa's new-car dealers.
When he first started in the automotive business, working with
Industrial Acceptance Corporation to help dealers finance their
inventory of vehicles, he had a reputation as hard-working, honest
and friendly. Mr.
MANN died in Ottawa on August 12. He was 76.
Born in Toronto on October 16, 1926, he spent about 15 years
working for Industrial Acceptance Corporation in Sudbury, Sarnia,
London and Ottawa before deciding to go into the car business
for himself. In 1969, he opened Don Mann Datsun Limited in Ottawa.
He sold out to an Ottawa General Motors dealer in 1983 and after
a brief retirement, joined the Ottawa New Car Dealers Association,
becoming the first full-time executive director of the group,
which was formed in 1957 with about 25 dealers and now has more
than 60 members.
"He was a great ambassador for new car dealers in Ottawa," said
Pat McGURN, president of Surgenor Pontiac Buick
GMC. "He was
the guy who lobbied with a local college to establish training
programs for our employees when there was a shortage of qualified
people." Over the years, he secured more than $250,000 in dealership
training dollars from government, said Mr.
McGURN.
"I determine a need, find a trainer, agree upon a program, then
I go to the dealers," Mr.
MANN once told an interviewer, adding
that dealers pay for the programs because there's less training
money available from government.
In his capacity as executive director of the car-dealers association,
Mr. MANN also worked with the Workplace Safety and Insurance
Board to ensure dealers provided healthy and safe working conditions.
He worked closely with Algonquin College in Ottawa and Georgian
College in Barrie, Ontario, to set up financial awards for top
graduates. In 2002, a local apprenticeship committee established
a Don Mann Award, given yearly to a major contributor to Ottawa's
apprenticeship program.
"Don was the glue that kept things together," said Mr.
McGURN.
"He made decisions that have made dealers in Ottawa stronger
and made things better for consumers." Mr.
MANN, who worked as
a police officer in Toronto for six years before switching to
the automobile business, helped launch the Ottawa-Hull International
Auto Show about 20 years ago and over the past two decades built
its profile to the point that it now attracts 35,000 visitors.
Money raised through the show helps fund training programs, said
Mr. McGURN.
Mr. MANN was known for his solid grasp of issues that affect
the auto industry at the dealers' level and at the legislative
level where laws are constantly changing, said Mr.
McGURN, who
notes that Mr.
MANN's leadership and organizational skills kept
local dealers working as a coherent group.
Ever the diplomat, at one point he convinced Ottawa's fiercely
competitive car dealers to close on Saturdays during summer long
weekends so staff could enjoy a holiday like everyone else. It
was also his job to keep dealers current on legislation and guidelines
dealing with used-car sales, consumer protection and advertising.
"His forte as executive director of the Car Dealers Association
was his access to politicians, and on the education side, his
contact with car dealers," said his son Brian of Ottawa. "He
knew little about cars when he first started... It took long
hours of hard work to build that knowledge.
"He was a great one for the job, he saw his role as an ambassador."
Mr. MANN was also known as someone who could bring people together
to get a job done, said his son, whether it was organizing dealers
to speak with one voice to governments, or to pull together a
golf tournament at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.
Fellow club member Gordon
EDWARDS remembers Mr.
MANN as an adept
snooker player and golfer with great patience.
"He was able to concentrate well, ... he was deliberate and careful,
always calculating each shot to make sure he got it right," said
Mr. EDWARDS, who played in Mr.
MANN's foursome for 17 years.
Mr. MANN leaves wife
Verna and children Maureen, Brian and Bruce.